4 Must Have Intensive Hair Treatments For All Budgets

If you’ve been reading my content for a while now, you’ll have probably noticed one thing about me: I am totally a hair dye addict. I change my hair colour around about once every month or two, and this usually means countless bleach baths, lots of chemical processing, and layering dyes on more dyes (I know, it’s so wrong). However, this does mean that I’ve had plenty of experience trialling pretty much any intensive treatment on the market and I’ve somewhat become an accidental connoisseur. I can tell whether I’m going to like a product the instant that I squeeze out a little product and pop it on my locks. Trust me, just because a product is relatively inexpensive doesn’t mean it wont do the job – I’ve tried £4 and £23 hair treatments, and they each have their pro’s!

I kindly got sent a sample of the Olaplex last month, and have been obsessed with it every since. I now know why everyone can’t stop talking about it – it really is heaven sent for bleached, chemically processed hair. After only one use, my hair looked much more “natural” as if it hadn’t been chemically processed and even the boys on my uni course (N.B. Mechanical Engineering isn’t abundant in females) pointed out how smooth and soft my hair looked. Which is exactly what I look for in a product! I have pretty long hair now, just past my nips, and the bottle lasted me 1 treatment per week, for 4 weeks. So it is a tad bit on the pricey side, but if you’re really looking to invest in your damaged hair, look no further – you’re money will be well spent.

This was the first high end hair care product that I ever tried, and I’ve had a serious soft spot for it ever since. You pop this on damp hair, like the Olaplex, before you shampoo and let it do it’s magic for, ideally, as long as possible. Larger jars of the Elastizier come with a shower cap to keep the heat and moisture in to future nourish the hair, but it also performs really well without it. I do feel like you need to use this over a longer space of time, about 2/3 weeks, to see real changes in the strength of the hair. But my hair really does feel much softer and workable after only one use.

One tube of this stuff does last a while, as you only need to use a fraction of the amount you think you need! Plus, you can concentrate it in specific places, like the ends and nape of the neck, where most hair damage occurs.

Whether or not you have curls, you need to try this product out. I’ve never used a hair mask that has worked as fast, or left my locks feeling as soft. I usually use this mask when I’m having one of those “step-in-step-out” shower moments and I desperately need to wash my hair in a rush. A quick shampoo and 60 seconds with this mask is purrrfect for a gal on the go. My hair feels super hydrated, yet not at all weighed down by product. I’ve also found it to be gr8 for detangling any knots (FYI – I have absolutely loads) in the shower and my Tangle Teaser is a dream to run through my hair in the aftermath.

Schwarzkopf Color Expert Colour Sealer Treatment – £3.99/150ml*

If you’re on a serious student budget and can’t stretch that £ far enough, this is a brilliant option for you. Not only does it provide strength and shine, but at such a competitive price. The high street are seriously upping their game when it comes to hair care and this is one of the best value-for-money products IMO.

Due to the fact that I colour my hair at home, this makes for the perfect weekly treatment – but as I’ve had super dry hair I used it at every hair wash and it really did seal in the colour for longer, whilst treating the damage and dryness that pre-bleaching had caused. Don’t let the name fool you – I’d recommend it to anyone experiencing dryness or breakage, coloured hair or otherwise!